The Potter Girl
by Skye Evans
Summary: What if Harry had a twin sister that he never knew about? This is her story.
1. The Separation

Leah White hurried down street after street, a pink bundle in her arms. Every few moments she'd look down and check to see if the little girl she was holding was still asleep. A few tears escaped Leah's eyes but she had no time to wipe them. She had to get to the Flannery's house soon, and despite the fact that you-know-who was gone, the streets were still too dangerous for a girl who just reached twenty and a baby.

Finally, she got to the right address that Dumbledore had instructed her to go to. She knocked on the door and a stout woman in her mid-thirties opened the door.

"Oh, you must be Leah White!" the woman smiled. "We've been expecting you." A man appeared behind her. His face looked not a day over thirty-five, but his receding hairline made Leah wonder if he was truly older than that. She held the child close to her, not sure if she should trust the couple in front of her. She knew the trouble was over, but her mind was still trained to not trust anyone, lest they be a death eater. But she knew Dumbledore thought this couple would do a swell job raising the orphaned baby girl of her best friend. She only hoped he was right.

"Where are our manners?! Come in, come in. You must be exhausted," the woman said and Leah reluctantly followed her. The house seemed welcoming enough. And definitely toddler-proofed. All the valuables were on high shelves, a baby gate was guarding the hallway entrance.

"I'm Rich Flannery, and this is my wife, Eileen. And this-" he motioned to the baby. "this must be Melanie. Imagine. The twin of the Boy-Who-Lived. Imagine."

It took all of Leah's self-restraint not to tell Rich to be quiet, that a death eater could be listening in on their conversation. The war had been going on too long. But it was over. Or at least she hoped so.

"Yes, I know. It's quite extraordinary. Lily was my best friend from Hogwarts. To imagine that her beloved twins were what stopped the Dark Lord. Well, it's unbelievable," Leah admitted. She looked down at the ivory face of the baby in her arms again. She had a shock of black hair, just like James and Harry, but when she opened her eyes, it wasn't James or even Lily's eyes that stared back at her. It was the silvery blue eyes of Mrs. Evans-Lily's mother- Melanie had inherited. Leah kissed Melanie's tiny forehead. She had seen little Harry briefly before he went off with Hagrid. His forehead had once been as unmarked as Melanie's, but now, that lightning bolt scar ran across it.

"May I-may I hold her, dear?" Eileen asked and Leah nodded, even though she wanted to keep holding the baby close to her heart. She handed Melanie to Eileen, who cooed at the sleeping child.

"So, do you and Rich have any children? Will Mel have siblings?" Leah asked, when Rich went to get some butterbeer.

"We have a four year old girl, Marie. And we do plan on expanding our family in the near future, so Melanie will have plenty of siblings. It's a pity though that she won't know her blood-brother."

Leah responded, "I know, but Dumbledore thinks it's best if they don't know each other even exists. He says it's for their own good and perhaps one day, they can know the truth, once their safety is certain."

"Aye, we understand the reasoning and will do our best to raise this little girl as our own. She'll never know any different," Eileen told Leah, trying to assure the poor girl. Rich returned with the butter beer and handed one to Leah.

Leah nodded solemnly. She had wanted to raise Melanie herself; who else would be better for the job than Lily's best friend and Melanie's godmother? But Dumbledore had told her no, because she was already targeted enough by the death eaters and he wasn't sure the threats would stop, even though He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was supposedly dead. "I guess I better get going," Leah finished her butter beer and stood up to leave.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay here a night, dear? You've been through so much this last twenty-four hours. Are you sure you'd be alright?" Eileen offered.

"No, I need to get back to my apartment. My fiancé will be worried about me," she explained, though the real reason was that she just wanted to be alone so she could grieve by herself.

"Okay, sweetheart. Would you like to say good-bye to Melanie?" Rich asked her, and Leah looked over to the one-year old, sleeping softly in a basinet in the corner.

"Mhm," Leah murmured, scared she would lose it if she said much more. She padded over to the child and kissed her cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered, "Good-bye, Mel. "

_So I'm not completely sure where I'm going with this, but I guess I'll just have to keep writing and see where it takes me. Reviews keep me going and will be appreciated forever :) ~Skye_


	2. Letters and TellTale Nightmares

Seven years later…

"I got a letter! I got a letter!" Marie screamed and her little sister, Melanie, ran to see what was going on.

"What kind of letter?" Melanie asked, trying to read over her sister's shoulder.

Marie rolled her eyes. "From Hogwarts, silly. Because I'm a witch!" Marie was jumping up and down with excitement. Eileen and Rich-the girls' parents- rushed over to see what all the commotion was about and Marie waved her letter in the air.

"Oh my goodness," Eileen whispered, her eyes scanning the letter. She and Rich had not been sure whether or not Marie would be accepted seeing as both her parents were Squibs. Marie had never showed very much talent and Eileen worried she would struggle, but she smiled at her daughter's merriment anyways.

"I wanna go to Hogwarts, too!" Melanie cried.

Eileen patted her beautiful adopted daughter's head, "In three years, it'll be your turn, dear." She knew Melanie was going to be a great witch, just like her birth parents had been. Since she was six, Melanie had shown great talent in magic.

"But that's forever. I wanna go with Marie," Melanie whined, her blue eyes staring up at her mother. The first few months had been difficult, raising Melanie. Most of the wizarding community hadn't known that the Potters had had twins-or children at all, for they'd been in hiding when they were born- but once it came out that Harry had stopped He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, they were plenty of rumors about where he had gone to live. There were also so many rumors about Harry having a twin sister and people speculated heavily about her, but no one ever confirmed Mel's existence. And that was exactly how she and Rich had wanted it.

"You're turn will come, deary," she explained again. "Who wants some celebration chocolate chip cookies?!"

"Me!" Melanie and Marie shouted in unison. Tom-their five year old brother- toddled into the living room as well. "I want some, I want some!" he called.

"Okay, okay, let's get you some cookies," Eileen smiled and ushered her children into the kitchen.

As she passed the cookies out, Eileen thought about Melanie. She had such a kind and loving personality but her temper had a short fuse. Set her off and it might take hours to calm her down. Eileen had never met Lily Potter, but what she had learned about her from Leah White's visits, Melanie took after her quite a bit. Melanie's features mimicked Lily's , but her hair was her father's and her eyes' her maternal grandmother's. She was always small for her age, especially compared with Marie who was much taller than average.

That night, Eileen and Rich were sitting down in the living room reading, when Melanie came out of her room crying.

"What is it, dear?" Eileen asked as her crying daughter ran into her arms.

"I had a, I had," Melanie sniffled. "a nightmare."

"Oh, it's okay, sweetheart," Rich patted Mel's hair.

"It was so scary, Daddy, it was," Melanie whimpered.

Eileen pulled Melanie closer to her big bosom. "What happened in the nightmare, Melanie? Maybe if you tell us it'll make it better."

"Well, it was real scary. There was this man- with a hood. And he almost looked like a snake. And then he pulled out his wand and there was a bright green light," Melanie was sobbing. "And I heard another man. He shouted something and then he fell and his eyes kinda got all glossy. And then there was another green light and a lady screamed real loud before falling to the ground. And oh, Mummy," she rubbed her face on her mother's shirt. "It was just awful."

Eileen looked over at Rich. He raised his eyebrows. They were both clearly thinking the same thing: Had their little Melanie dreamt of the night her parents' had died?


	3. Daydreams

_Dear Mum,_

_Hogwarts is probably the coolest place I've ever been. Everything is so magical and the teachers are really nice. Especially Professor Sprout. She's my Herbology teacher and the head of my house. I was excited to be in Hufflepuff. Really. The Slytherins do make fun of us a good bit for "being softies" and the Gryffindors say we're "push-overs" occasionally, but it's really okay. Did I mention my new friend, Cedric? He's really sweet and cute. He's been super nice to me. And you know Katelyn Swan, your friend Margaret's daughter? Well, she's in Hufflepuff too! It's all really amazing, Mum. Better than I would've thought. Tell Mel I can't wait for her to get here with me. I miss you all so much. _

_Love, _

_Marie _

"I wish I was there with her, right now," Melanie pouted.

Eileen frowned. "Melanie, how many times do I have to go over this? You'll be there soon enough. Now help me with these dishes." Melanie rolled her eyes but rose from the kitchen table and went to help her mum.

Melanie had never been the jealous sort. Especially not of Marie. In fact, Melanie often felt sorry for Marie because she was often slighted in favor of Mel. People they met always gushed over Melanie's pretty features, her quick mind, and kind demeanor. Marie was plain and gawky, and not always the brightest bulb in the lamp. So, Melanie thought, I guess this is Marie's chance to shine. I'll let her have her fun.

She stood on the stool and scrubbed at a plate in her hands. She wondered what it'd be like to go to Hogwarts and learn magic. She imagined herself with a wand in hand, shouting all those spells, and having things happen because of it. She pictured herself simply pointing her wand at the dishes and having them be cleaned.

"Mel! Melanie Clare! Did you hear me?" Eileen asked impatiently, waking Melanie from her daydream.

"No, sorry Mum. What did you say?"

"You've been cleaning that one plate for several minutes, dear."

"Oh! I didn't realize," Melanie's face flushed with embarrassment as she put down that plate and picked up a bowl. She still had a long way to go before Hogwarts.

**Author's note: So this was a bit of a filler chapter, sorry. Plenty of excitement in the next, I promise! ;) **


	4. Anticipation

Melanie watched the digital clock on her bedside table. The red numbers read 11:58. She smiled. So close, so close. In just one minute and fifteen seconds, she'd be eleven. She had been waiting to turn eleven for as long as she could remember. Being eleven meant going off to Hogwarts and learning magic. She had gotten her Hogwarts letter a few days before and her parents had promised her that on her birthday-July 31st- they would take her to Diagon Alley to get her supplies.

Her heart beat fast with anticipation and she knew she'd never be able to sleep tonight. She was too anxious and excited. 11: 59. She breathed in and out just before the new day began. My last breath of being ten years old, she thought.

**12:00 AM.**

She was eleven, officially! She wanted to giggle and squeal but she had to be quiet so not to wake up Marie on the top-bunk. She would be getting all of her stuff for Hogwarts today. Today! A wand, robes, books, maybe even an owl or a cat. She closed her eyes and reveled in the moment, eventually drifting off into a sleep filled with dreams of Diagon Alley and Hogwarts. She had no idea that her twin brother- across England, in a hut on the rock, in the middle of the sea- was learning of his own story and celebrating what was to be one of his best birthdays ever.


	5. Hogwarts, Finally

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the brilliant JK Rowling's Harry Potter series. I do own my own non-canon characters and ideas but that's about it. The few excerpts from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone also belong to JK Rowling. **

So this was what it felt like. Melanie had been waiting for years to finally board the Hogwarts Express alongside her sister. And now, it was finally happening.

"Now, dear, try your hardest, but have fun, too!" Eileen kissed Melanie's cheek. Her eyes were welling up with tears to see her little Mel go off to Hogwarts but she brushed them away quickly.

"And remember to write every week, and stay out of trouble," Rich told her with a smile.

"I know, I know," Melanie said, exasperated. She kissed her father's bearded chin before turning to her godmother. "Bye, Leah," Melanie hugged her godmother hard. Leah White held onto her little goddaughter, letting her tears run freely.

"Have a good time, kiddo. I'll miss you like crazy," Leah whispered.

"I'll try, Leah," Melanie smiled. "I'll miss you so much." She let go of her closest friend and ran off to the train. Before she boarded she blew a kiss to her family and called, "Bye, Mummy! Bye, Daddy! Bye, Leah!" And then she stepped onto the train and went to find a seat.

She walked down the long hallway of the train and spotted her sister sitting in one of the compartments, laughing with her friends. "Hey Marie, can I sit with you?" she asked timidly.

"No, I'm with my friends. Go find a spot somewhere else," Marie glared at her little sister with such contempt it nearly broke Mel's heart. Her sister had never been so awful to her. She ran from the compartment doorway, looking for a group of kids that looked her age.

Melanie found one almost at the end of the hall. She peered inside it, wary of being turned away. "Um, hi," she said, "Would you mind if I sat with you?"

"Sure," a girl with bushy brown hair smiled. "I'm Hermione Granger, and you are?"

"I-I'm Melanie. Melanie Flannery."

She sat down next to Hermione and the boy and girl in front of her introduced themselves.

"I'm Neville Longbottom," the boy said. He had brown hair and buck teeth and a nervous manner about him.

The girl introduced herself as Hannah Abbott. "Pleased to meet you," Melanie grinned.

"So, Melanie," Hermione turned to her, "we were just talking about what House we want to be sorted into. I personally would like to be in Gryffindor, but I really don't mind as long as it isn't Slytherin. So what about you?"

"Well, I guess I hadn't given it much thought. My sister is in Hufflepuff so maybe it would be nice if I was with her, but I really don't know."

"I bet I'll be in Huffelpuff…" Neville said gloomily.

"What's so bad about Hufflepuff? At least it isn't Slytherin," Melanie defended.

"Oh nothing's wrong with it. I just- I lost my toad and I-" Neville looked near tears as he explained to them how he wasn't very good at keeping track of things and his toad was always getting away from him. "And Gram-oh, Gram is not going to be happy if I can't find it. She thinks I'm enough of a disappointment already…"

"We'll help you find it," Melanie offered. The other girls nodded their heads and the four of them set off to search for Trevor the toad.

The group split up and Melanie roamed down the hall to look for Trevor. She passed by a food trolley with all sorts of treats she loved. She saw a boy ogling at the cart before them both. He had messy black hair-just like her own, only cut much shorter- and when he looked up, she could see his almond-shaped green eyes behind his glasses. Something about him sparked a memory deep within her, but Mel couldn't understand why. The boy before her was so familiar but she was sure she'd never laid eyes on him before. He looked up and his face mirrored hers- the same confused look.

She began to ask if he knew her somehow, when he ordered a little of everything from the cart and returned to his compartment. She watched him from the outside window, her mind searching every memory she had, to try and understand who that boy was.

"Have you found him yet?" Hermione asked, coming up behind her.

"No, no, I haven't," Melanie awoke from her trance.

"Well, I guess I'll ask the boys in here," she rolled her eyes before going into the compartment.

Melanie hurried down the train hallway, asking groups of kids if they had seen a toad, because her friend Neville had lost one. After asking a bunch of people, Melanie gave up and went to put on her robes.

As she came out of the changing room, a girl with chin-length dark hair and a stuck-up face tripped Melanie. She and her companions laughed as Mel struggled to get up. A pale-faced boy came forward, sniggering. "You're the Squib's daughter, right?" he asked her.

Melanie raised her right eyebrow and began to understand that this was one of those people that her parents had warned her about. "Some of the children there will believe them better than others because their pure-blood or because they have two wizard parents. Don't let them get to you," Eileen had cautioned.

Mel held her chin high, "So what if I am?"

"Oh, the little girl is getting feisty," the boy teased. Melanie disliked him after just a few seconds. His eyes were a cold gray and his white-blond hair was cut very short and gelled back as if to look dignified. Melanie just thought he looked ridiculous. "I'm Draco Malfoy. You should grow used to respecting the name." A thick, stupid-looking boy next to Draco gave him a high five and the others laughed.

Melanie looked Draco Malfoy straight in the eye and told him bravely, "You don't deserve my respect." She then turned on her heel, leaving the mean-spirited group of bullies gaping behind her.

Melanie was crammed into a boat with two boys and Hannah Abbott. The one boy with the brown hair and kind blue eyes had introduced himself as Terry Boot and the other with the curly dark hair said his name was Justin Finch-Fletchley. They seemed nice enough-or at least much nicer than that Malfoy boy and his posse.

Standing up to Malfoy had taken a good bit of courage, but it wasn't the first time she'd put a bully in their place. Several times back at her Muggle elementary school, she'd told bullies off for insulting her or her little brother, or someone else. Melanie Flannery was not afraid to stand up for what she believed in, despite her often shy and quiet demeanor.

Terry Boot tapped Mel's shoulder. "Look at how cool Hogwarts looks," he pointed at the castle straight ahead of them. There were hundreds of windows, all lit up, and there were so many turrets and towers that Melanie couldn't even imagine what could be in all of them. She oohed and awed with Terry and Justin as they got closer. They each pointed out little details and found that the three of them got along well. Hannah stayed quiet for most of the ride and seemed a bit uncomfortable.

"Firs' years! This way!" The great big man named Hagrid called. They all followed him quietly into a grand foyer. A stern woman with her black hair pulled into a tight bun on top of her head came up.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid offered.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here," the stern witch told him, before guiding the first years down the hall. She showed the first years into a small, empty chamber.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, " said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.

"I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly," Professor McGonagall said as she left the chamber.

Her legs felt like jelly and her hands shook violently as she brushed her fingers through her thick black hair and played with the silver locket around her neck. Marie had told her there was some sort of "Sorting ceremony" but had refused to tell her what exactly it entailed. Melanie had never been more nervous in her life. Sure, she knew about magic and little things she had learned about Hogwarts and the wizarding world from her parents. But her parents were Squibs! They couldn't do magic and had never been to Hogwarts to learn any spells. How could she ever pass a test if it involved knowing how to perform magic?

She could overhear the black-haired boy she'd seen earlier talking to a red-headed freckly boy. "How exactly do they sort us into houses?" she heard the black-haired boy asked.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking," the red-haired boy explained.

It hurt?! A test!? Melanie's heart was racing so fast she couldn't think straight. _Oh my God, Oh my God_, she kept thinking. What if she couldn't do it? Did they ever send people home? That would be just her luck, wouldn't it? To get sent home on the first night because she wasn't sortable. Her breathing was shallow and she tried hard to calm herself down. _You'll be okay, you'll be okay_, she repeated over and over. _Marie could do it, so can you_. But she wasn't so sure.

Due to her anxiety, she hardly even noticed as about twenty ghosts floated into the room.

"The Sorting Ceremony's about to start," Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts fled the room through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line, and follow me. "

Melanie stood between Hermione Granger and Terry Boot. As they walked into the Great Hall-which could've fit Mel's house times two inside of it- she could hear Hermione whispering something about how the ceilings were bewitched and she'd read about it in _Hogwarts, A History._ Melanie vaguely remembered reading about that as well. Terry was whispering to her excitedly about what house she thought she'd be in and she replied that she wasn't sure. She stared up at the ceiling and marveled at how much it looked like the night sky above the candles. It was sure some amazing magic.

All the older students watched them carefully as they headed toward as stool with an old, torn-up and patched witch's hat on it. She stared at it, wondering what it could possibly be for.

For a moment, there was silence. But then through a rip near the seam, the hat began to sing. Melanie was startled by it and she noticed a few others were too.

_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can top them all.  
_

"It's singing...?" Terry questioned her and Mel nodded, a little bit afraid. She motioned for him to be quiet.

_There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a steady mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap! _

There was a burst of wild applause from the many students in the Great Hall. Melanie thought it was a relief that all they had to do was put on the hat, but she was a little bit spooked by how it could see all that was in her head. That sounded like an invasion of privacy to her.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall said as she stepped forward with a long scroll. "Abbott, Hannah!"

Hannah stumbled as she went forward and sat upon the stool with the hat on her head. The hat called out "HUFFLEPUFF!" and Hannah put the hat back on the stool before skipping off to sit at the Hufflepuff table.

Another girl-Susan Bones- was sorted into Hufflepuff before Terry was called.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Terry hopped off the stool and winked at Melanie before running off to join the Ravenclaw table that was clapping happily at him. Melanie wrung her hands as they called the names. Part of her wanted to join her new found friend, Terry Boot, at Ravenclaw but another part nagged her that she wasn't intelligent enough for that. She was smart but from what she'd heard about Ravenclaw, she seemed pretty dull.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!" McGonagall called. Melanie's heart skipped; she was almost positive she was next.

Justin was sorted into Hufflepuff and Melanie thought briefly that she wouldn't mind being in Hufflepuff with her sister and Hannah and Justin.

"Flannery…" McGonagall stared at the name for a moment before continueing, "Melanie!" There were a few hushed whispers through the crowd- for some of the older students knew the rumors about Harry's twin- but Melanie didn't notice as she half-ran toward the stool. She just wanted to get it overwith.

She shoved the hat on her head quickly. "Ah," the hat breathed into her ear. "You remind me of your mother. She was kind, quick-witted, and talented too. There's a little hint of arrogance from your father too, but mostly just his bravery. Hmm, where to put you?"

Her mother? Her father? They were Squibs, they had never been to Hogwarts or been sorted. What was the hat talking about?!

"So you don't know about your parents yet," the hat mused. Didn't know what about her parents? "Well, I believe the only place to put you is…."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

She shakily removed the hat from her head, millions of questions forming in her mind. Her parents? She knew for a fact they had never put on the Sorting Hat, and she also knew for a fact that her mother was not quick-witted or talented and her father was far from being brave or arrogant. What had the hat been talking about?!

She sat down at the Gryffindor table amid cheers and hoots from her fellow housemates. She listened a little bit to see who else was sorted into Gryffindor. That girl Hermione and the boy Neville from the train sat down. When the name Potter, Harry was called, every head in the room turned toward the small black-haired boy as he walked toward the stool. It was the boy from the train! That was probably why she thought she knew him. He was the famous Harry Potter, after all. She'd grown up knowing his story, just like every other child with wizard parents in there had.

As she sat through dinner, talking occasionally to Hermione-who was proving to be more know-it-all-ish and annoying by the second, and Parvati Patil-who kept wanting to know how she got her hair to be so shiny-, she was happier and more confused than she could ever remember being. She kept wondering about her parents and resolved to send them a letter as soon as possible.


	6. Chapter 6

That night as Melanie lay sleeping, curled up in her new dorm bed with her new kitten Quinn, she had several horrific nightmares. In the first, a man was yelling to a woman-presumably his wife- to make sure the babies were okay, he would hold him off. There was a great sense of danger and fear overtook Melanie. Then there was a flash of green light that nearly blinded her and a thump as the good man fell to the ground. There was cruel laughter and a blood-curdling voice that said, "Step aside, Lily. Just give me the boy!" The woman refused and because of that, her life too ended in a bright flash of green light and a scream that would stay with Melanie always. She had had that dream before many times, but it never stopped scaring her.

In the next, that Harry Potter boy was sitting across from her and she was staring at him with great scrutiny. Then there was that scream. Again and again, it resounded through her head. Harry looked at Melanie for a moment, panic searing through his eyes. And then, it was all gone.

By morning, Melanie didn't remember those nightmares. She only remembered the one bad dream about how she couldn't find her first class and was late for everything.

After breakfast, she and Hermione set off to their first class. Not once all day did Melanie get lost.

"Do you wanna come to the library with me?" Hermione asked Melanie that afternoon after their last class.

Melanie grinned. She loved libraries and reading. "Of course."

They settled down with several books in arm chairs that were too big for either girl. Melanie was happy she had found a friend in Hermione. Hermione was a know-it-all and was rather predictable, and that annoyed Melanie, but it was better than her other roommates, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil who only liked giggling over famous witches and wizards, discussing beauty products, and fawning over boys.

Melanie had always liked losing herself in books. She could read for hours and hours and it pleasured her more than anything. The only thing she liked better was swimming in the stream behind her house, but her parents had banned her from doing that when a little Muggle girl down the street drowned (Mel still secretly did it anyways).

"Oh my!" Hermione exclaimed. Melanie looked up from the book she was reading- it was detailing all the special properties of unicorns and had really cool illustrations. "It's almost curfew! We don't want to be caught out of bed after dark; we might be expelled."

Melanie didn't quite understand why they had to get back to the tower, being as it was forty-five minutes to curfew and it only took about five minutes to get from the library to Gryffindor tower, but she trudged along behind Hermione back to their common room.

Hermione was telling Melanie something about the moving staircases that she had read about in _Hogwarts_, _A History_ when Mel bumped into a brown-haired boy.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized as the boy turned around.

"No problem," the boy-whom she could now see was her friend, Terry Boot- smiled. "How was your first day?"

"Not bad. Didn't get lost or expelled," she smiled back. "What about you?"

"It was pretty good. I really like it here. It's pretty cool, huh?"

"Most definitely," Mel agreed. Then realizing Hermione was still standing next to her awkwardly she said," Terry, this is Hermione Granger, Hermione, this is Terry Boot. Did you guys meet yet?"

"No, we hadn't. Thanks for introducing us," Terry said.

"Pleasure to meet you, Terry," Hermione said, faking a smile over her anxiety. "Melanie, we really should get back to the tower."

"Right, of course. Well, I'll see you around, Terry."

"See ya, Mel," he grinned, waving as he walked around.

"Geez, Hermione, we have plenty of time to get back. No need to be so anxious," Melanie told her friend, exasperated.

"I know, I know. But I don't want to get in trouble. Especially on our first night. That would be the worst."

"Yeah, I guess," Melanie shrugged. "Caput Draconis," she told the fat lady when they got to the tower. The portrait swung open and Hermione and Melanie climbed through.

Melanie needed to write to her parents. Her day had been pretty crazy and she had nearly forgotten about all the questions she had. But now she had some time on her hands to write them and Leah. Hermione skipped off to study in the corner and Melanie got some parchment and a quill and began to pen her letters.

_Dear Mummy and Daddy,_

_Hogwarts is really cool. After only one day, I've learned a lot! I got sorted into Gryffindor, which was a very happy surprise. But the Sorting Hat said some strange things. He said that I had inherited my mother's kindness, quick-wit, and talent, but also my father's arrogance and bravery. What does that mean? I've never know Daddy to be arrogant and well, Mum, you're not talented as a witch, no offense or anything. What did he mean? It was like he was suggesting I was someone else, or my parents were someone else. And I'm almost positive that you've never tried on the Sorting Hat, right? _

_Well, anyways, I'm missing you guys lots. Love, Love, Love, Melly _

Melanie wrote a letter to Leah, voicing the same concerns. She added in about her new friends and her nightmares. Leah was always much more accepting than her parents and more understanding. Maybe it was because Leah wasn't nearly as old as her parents. Leah couldn't have be any older than 32 while her parents were in their late forties, her father pushing fifty.

She fell asleep easy that night, hoping to send the letters off in the morning and have her answers soon.

**Author's note: So I hope everyone is enjoying this :) This story has been welled up within my brain since I was seven and I'll be fifteen in a few days! I had some trouble coming up with a name for this chapter, so if anyone has any suggestions, feel free to tell me. And remember, reviews(good reviews, bad reviews, funny reviews, any reviews) = eternal gratefulness and me being a better writer. So if you have something to say, say it! ~Skye**


	7. Not What She Expected

Sunlight spilled over her table as Leah sat down to breakfast. She lifted her spoon full of cereal to her lips just as two owls flew through her window. Leah smiled and untied the leg of the first owl which was her own. Alvie, her Elf owl, brought a letter from a friend asking her to dinner the next night and the unknown owl brought news from her little Melanie.

As she read Melanie's letter, Leah sighed. They all knew that Melanie would figure it out at some time. And Mel was a sharp girl; she may have been seeking Leah's help, but Melanie could figure it out all on her own, Leah knew. She pondered how much to tell her goddaughter. She began, her sharp angular script filling the page.

That oughta do it, Leah thought as she penned her name. She just hoped Melanie would abide by her request.

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Eileen Flannery looked up at her husband, concerned. "What if this blows everything? What if everything we've worked so hard to hide her from all comes crashing down because of something an old hat said?" Rich shook his head, still staring at the letter in his hand from his daughter. "What should we do?"

"What we've been doing for all her life," he whispers, a heavy sadness in his eyes. "We lie."

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It was Thursday morning before Melanie got her answers. She saw the two owls she'd sent to her family fly towards her and she wringed her hands nervously. They dropped the letters on her plate and she said a silent prayer that they had the assurance she had been desperately wanting all week. She opened one from her mother first.

_Melanie,_

_We are so overjoyed that you are getting along well at Hogwarts. We always knew you were talented. You make us so proud, dear. _

_Hmmm, that is odd. Isn't the Sorting Hat thousands of years old? He must've gotten you mixed up with someone else, because your father and I have never even seen Hogwarts, much less tried on the hat! _

_Best wishes, sweetheart. Love, Mom and Dad and Tom_

_P.S. Congrats on making Gryffindor. You are the first ever to do so in our family!_

Melanie didn't think the Sorting Hat made mistakes like that, but she was placated until she read Leah's letter.

_My Melanie,_

_I wish I could be there with you as you experience Hogwarts. You have no idea how much I miss you. I'm glad to hear you've made some friends and that you're doing well. You must keep me updated on everything going on in your new life._

_As for what the sorting hat said, I want so badly to tell you that he made a mistake. But, you see, the hat doesn't make mistakes. It can see everything you've ever thought or done or said. It can see memories that you yourself cannot recall. When placed on your head, it knows everything about you. You were adopted by the Flannerys after your birth parents were killed by You-Know-Who. You're parents were in my year and were my very dear, dear friends. You're father was a brilliant man, but he was such a show-off that most people you ask will only remember him for that. He was brave too and fought to save you. You're mother was one of the kindest people I have ever or will ever have known. She helped me through many a rough spot. She also had a wicked sense-of-humor and was one of the best in our year. That's about all I can tell you. As to whom they are, both Headmaster Dumbledore and your adoptive parents would probably murder me if I were to tell you. I also need to implore you not to go searching on your own to find out who they were. You'll know one day, sweetie; it'll come out all in good time._

_I can't wait until you come to stay with me for Christmas! I'm going to start counting down the days ;) _

_Leah_

Once she finished Leah's letter she was angry. She'd been lied to her whole life?! Her real parents were dead and gone, and the parents she had known all her life had lied to her and were still lying to her. Was their love a lie too? A Suddenly, she wasn't sure that she had wanted to know all about what the Sorting Hat had said. Instead of being reassured like she had thought she'd be, her entire being flooded with despair and confusion.

The answers she had learned were not was she had been expecting. She had hoped that both her parents and Leah would reassure her that the Sorting Hat had made a silly mistake and she shouldn't think too much about it. Or maybe, that her parents had tried on the Sorting Hat only to find out that they didn't have an ounce of magic power in their bodies. But the truth was neither. And even Leah, dear, dear Leah, hadn't been able to tell Melanie the whole truth.

The ones she loved and trusted were liars. She wondered if Marie knew the truth. But she didn't want to risk asking her. Every time she had tried to talk to her sister- _pretend_ sister, Melanie corrected- she had been rebuffed and ignored. When she was younger, she had thought that being at Hogwarts would be the best thing in the world. But now she wasn't so sure. In only a few days here, she had lost her sister, her trust in her parents and partially in Leah, and her identity. She didn't know who she was anymore. Was her name even Melanie Flannery? Or was it something else? Mel wasn't sure she wanted to know.

But she resolved to figure out who her parents were on her own, despite Leah's insistence that she not.

**Author's note: So it's been a long time since I updated this. The next chapter should be up soon, too. Hope you enjoyed it! Sorry it was so short :( If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, **_**please please please**_**, review! I will make sure to get back to you :) And thanks to everyone who has reviewed already. You keep this story going! ~Skye**


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